Wednesday, April 21, 2010

If we were still Mormon this would be a significant age, it would be time for her to be baptised........

Hmm.

I am so glad that we figured out that the whole religion thing is bullshit before she reached the age of 8. As her mother I am choosing to say NO to lessons (or songs) about the role of a woman as homemaker and baby machine. NO to being told that the husband should preside! Ew! seriously. NO to a Youth program where the girls activities are supervised by a male chaperone. NO to leaders adjusting the fit of her clothes and shaming her if her appearance is not saintly enough for them. NO to being told that how she dresses affects the self-control of boys!! NO to shame, guilt, fear, brainwashing, indoctrination and all the other bullshit that accompanies religion.

My daughter will make choices in her life that I will struggle with, I know that. There will be times (moments of weakness) when I will probably wonder if it would have been easier to raise her in the church.

Easier? maybe.

Better? never.

I want to do it the tough way. I want her to know deep in her core that she can question anybody and anything at anytime.

When I first left the Mormon church I still believed in God. And sadly, due to the information that I had recently uncovered, my new idea of God was quite an unpleasant one. Thus, when my daughter came down with pneumonia I had some internal struggles to deal with. As I sat with her in hospital waiting for doctors and nurses to do their thing I had plenty of time for negative thoughts to creep in. Try as I might, I could not seem to stop myself thinking that it was my fault that my little girl was sick. I had turned my back on religion and now I was getting my comeuppance (sp?)

At the same time I self-talked myself out of really believing such things BUT the niggling little idea was there, taking little bites at me, parasite!

My little girl recovered quickly. The doctors said that her body was strong, and that rather than the usual hospitalisation she could be cared for at home. Disaster averted!

Another example of 'wigging out' - a few weeks ago Perth suffered somewhat of a monster hail storm. It was fun and bloody scary at the same time. My husband was picking my children up from school at the time and so I was home alone as the deluge came. The thunder roared in my ears, louder each time. The hail flew with fury and abandon. As I witnessed nature raging I felt fear. I tried calling my husband to get news of my family's safety. I couldn't reach them. Again the parasite nibbled and clawed at me... "your fault! apostate! heathen! FOOL!" ... and for a time it seemed that God, the angry one, was teaching me a lesson.

Yet... (of course all the atheists here could have told me the ending of this story before it began, silly confused ex-mormon! ) the skies cleared, as they do. The earth was beautiful in its stillness. Trees had been ripped to shreds, cars pock-marked, windows smashed but the earth felt clean and fresh and lovely. My family returned safely to me, full of exciting tales.

The next day DH got a call, The University of WA had been battered, as had most of Perth... there was a years worth of 'ceilings to be fixed'... thank you angry rain god for our blessing of employment... does that put us in the third category of blessings for the heathens?

And now a word from Brigham Young (second prophet of the Mormon church)

Journal of Discourses 1:83.

I say, rather than that apostates should flourish here, I will unsheath my bowie knife, and conquer or die. Now, you nasty apostates, clear out, or judgment will be put to the line. If you say it is right, raise your hands. [Watt records that all hands went up] Let us call upon the Lord to assist us in this, and every good work.

My point? must I have one? well... if, IF there is a God, I would like to believe that he/she/they do not serve out punishments when I swear, drink or think sexy thoughts about the bare chested babes on Survivor (male and female ;) ... rather they clink glasses and make thoughtful faces at each other and await my return.

The LDS article mentions that Orson Hyde was sent far from home on many missions. It mentions the difficult circumstances that Marinda was left in with her young children. It also mentions that Joseph Smith provided better living conditions for Marinda and her family.

What it doesn't mention is that while Orson was away on mission Joseph Smith married Marinda. It also doesn't mention that Orson later married extra wives and that in 1870 he and Marinda divorced.

The LDS article ends with this lovely statement:

"Marinda’s death ended the earthly career of the original John Johnson family, a family who left a lasting impression on the Church and all those who knew them. Like Lehi’s family, their disobedience resulted in unhappiness and tragedy, and their faithfulness resulted in the blessings and happiness of the gospel."

Hold on... I'm confused. Who ended up happy? and who got the rough end of the stick? The whole mess looks pretty miserable to me.

It seems to me that critics of the Mormon church aren't the only ones who don't include all relevant information..... "The problem is, critics of the LDS Church use scriptures selectively, and not fully, in their arguments, therefore their interpretations are faulty of what LDS teachings really are." Michael Fordham.

Let's just say that transparency is not really one of Mormonism's strong points. Lies, deception, white-washing, cover-ups... it's all there.

How was plural marriage in Joseph Smiths time a part of the 'restoration of all things"? Adam and Eve did not practice it, surely this would have been a time when 'raising up seed' was of utmost importance.

Suspending my belief that the Bible is fictitious, weren't the prophets just practicing plural marriage in accordance with their cultural traditions? What makes anyone think that such traditions would be necessary or welcome today?

People sometimes told me not to worry about plural marriage because I would get to be a 'first wife'. Well if I would not want to be a second, third, fourth, fifth etc... wife then why the fuck would I be 'happy' to put someone else in that position. NO ONE should ever have to be ranked in this way. This stinks of men first, women second .... and now thanks to JS there is ranking amongst the women. I think JS and his mates were afraid of women, misunderstood women and disrespected women. They tried to control women.

Mormons, your theology allows for plural marriage. Look into it! Don't just accept the old "We'll have the answers in the next life" shizzit. A member of my old Stake Presidency said to me that his understanding is that - Plural Marriage will be reinstated, either in the Millennium or in the next life and this includes sexual relations (I add that part because many members try to console themselves with the idea that plural marriage in the next life will be non-sexual).